Forced to Marry the Enemy Prince - Forced to Marry the Enemy Prince - Chapter 17

Chapter 17

“This maid doesn’t dare!”

There was a cold glint in his eyes mixed with anger. Yuehua and Ruyi didn’t dare to disobey him. Zhan Lue shifted his gaze and lifted his hands again. His fingers slipped past Xian Sheng’s chest and his gaze darkened.

Ruyi turned around and walked out. Yuehua gave her a look. In the next second, she suddenly kicked the chair and it fell down. Even the table was moved, letting out a huge shriek.

Zhan Lue paused, but Xian Sheng gradually woke up. Behind him, Yuehua hurriedly helped Ruyi up. “Are you hurt?”

“No…” Cold sweat drenched Ruyi, but she didn’t dare look back at Zhan Lue. She escaped off with Yuehua’s support.

In the room, Zhan Lue’s fingers stopped at Xian Sheng’s chest before he grabbed them. Their eyes met, and Zhan Lue revealed an expression of anger. He tugged hard and Xian Sheng’s fair and snow-white shoulders were revealed. Xian Sheng pressed on his chest, his gaze panicking.

Zhan Lue glanced at Xian Sheng’s exquisite-looking collarbone before he heard him say, “How can a gentleman take advantage of a girl?”

“I’m just looking at you. It’s not like I’ll do anything to you.”

Xian Sheng coughed, traces of blood seeping from the corner of his lips. His face was pale white and it seemed as if he was going to die at any moment. Zhan Lue suddenly helped him arrange his clothes, and explained, “Your clothes looked dirty, so I wanted to help you change it.”

Xian Sheng couldn’t muster his words. He breathed lightly. Zhan Lue stood up and looked at him. After a moment, he said, “Don’t be angry.”

Xian Sheng stayed quiet. There was only faint coughing and breathing in the room. He didn’t expect for Zhan Lue to do that to him when he was unconscious. Qin Yi caused him to spit blood today, but how was Zhan Lue any different from Qin Yi?

Zhan Lue probably thought of this too, and he felt ashamed. But on second thought, he thought it was absurd and faintly felt wronged too. He turned around and walked out.

Outside the door, Ruyi and Yuehua kneel down in a hurry. Zhan Zhen’s eyes sink on them, fingers creak, and finally walk away.

They get up and Yuehua enters the room. Xian Sheng’s last strength was used to stop Zhan Zhen. His voice was so light that he could hardly be heard: “He’s gone?”

“Out of the house.” Yuehua was very distressed. She helped him to take off the scratched coat and said with tears, “Ruyi is going to prepare something to eat. Will the princess have something to eat first? Is there anything uncomfortable? ”

Xian Sheng didn’t respond. He didn’t even have the strength to shake his head.

They fed him food and then medicine. Not long later, a royal physician hurried over, saying that the Crown Prince summoned him to take the pulse for the Crown Princess.

Xian Sheng didn’t reject. He extended his slender arms out of the bed while feeling drowsy once again.

Outside, Zhan Lue caressed his horse’s manes. Gao Xuan tested the waters, “Your Highness, why don’t you go in if you want to know the situation?”

“I’ll find out even if I wait.”

The royal physician quickly came out. When he saw the Crown Prince, he revealed a bitter expression, but braced himself to reply, “The Crown Princess’ body is too weak. She must’ve been startled since her pulse is chaotic…”

“Stop with the nonsense. Is she okay?”

The royal physician carefully said, “If she stays in a good mood and recuperates through medicinal cuisine, then she should be fine.”

“What if she isn’t in a good mood?”

“Then she probably…” The royal physician took a secret look at her. He hesitated before saying, “can’t survive past today.”

Zhan Lue’s gaze darkened. In the end, he ordered someone to take him back. He looked in the direction of the residence again before rolling over and getting on the horse’s back, dashing towards the Jiang Residence.

Jiang Qin’s father forced him to practice martial arts and he just finished. He laid on his bed during this cold night. He was about to fall asleep when a boy servant came to report, “The Crown Prince is banging on the door right now. He wants the young master to go drink with him.”

“Tell him that I’m asleep.”

“The Lord wants this servant to call for you. After all, you’re an official. You can’t disobey the Crown Prince’s orders.”

Jiang Qin glared at him. The boy servant quietly lowered his head.

After a cup of tea’s worth of time, Jiang Qin was brought to the rooftop by this Crown Prince that refused to sleep in the middle of the night. He wrapped his blankets around him and puffed out white air. “Your Highness, why are you torturing yourself like this? Do you dislike drinking in bed?”

“Why would I torture myself?”

“Is it because of Qin Yi?”

“Heh.” He drank the glass of wine and revealed a smile of disdain. “Princess refuses to even eat his food.”

Jiang Qin held a complicated expression. “I meant is it because Qin Yi suddenly caused trouble in the capital that made Your Highness worried and vexed?”

Zhan Lue glanced at him and Jiang Qin understood. “Your Highness is intelligent and outstanding, so why would you be worried about worldly matters? It must be because of the princess.”

“Yeah.” Zhan Lue stayed silent for a while before suddenly reaching over to tug the blanket off of him. “How can men of the North be afraid of the cold?”

“I didn’t wear much!”

“Have someone bring you an overcoat. Watch me sentence you for being discourteous in front of me!”

Jiang Qin didn’t dare to disobey. He left his blanket’s warmth while sullen. He wrapped his overcoat around him and decided to cut to the chase. “Is it because the princess has a weak body?”

Zhan Lue looked down and suddenly became quiet. He slowly said, “…Will women refuse to let men look at them because they have low self-esteems?”

“Naturally. Who wouldn’t cover their face if they had a scar on there?” Jiang Qin finished his words before realizing that it wasn’t right. “The princess of the Liang Country is beautiful and glamorous. Why would she feel self-abased because of her appearance? Your Highness…you have another woman?”

Zhan Lue didn’t retort. He said, “Besides appearance, how about her figure?”

“It’s normal for them to have low self-esteems if they don’t have appealing figures. After all, they’re women in the end. Your Highness should take pity on them.”

“Non-appealing figures?”

“That means they don’t have…bigger chests than Your Highness or me.” Jiang Qin didn’t dare to tease him. He jutted his chest out and noticed that Zhan Lue was looking at him deep in thought. He then shrunk back, wondering, “Your Highness already has the princess and she is a perfect wife. Why would you be interested in a woman with scars on their face and a non-appealing figure?”

“She’s too weak. I don’t want to hurt her, so I naturally need to find other sources of pleasure.”

Jiang Qin nodded but then thought that wasn’t right. His Highness always had his eyes above his head and he was unapproachable. Even the famous prostitutes from the brothels were just “okay” in his eyes. Before meeting Xian Sheng, only Zhan Jin’s mother concubine and Jin Emperor’s Imperial Concubine Mei, was pleasing to his eyes. When the Jin Emperor heard of his high requirements for women’s appearances, he laughed at him, claiming that he wouldn’t be able to marry anyone in the future. As expected, Zhan Lu didn’t even have a maid to tend to his needs because he disliked how ordinary looking they were.

Jiang Qin thought that the reason why His Highness was in love with Xian Sheng at first sight might also have to do with him not touching a single woman over the past years. In simple words, he had been controlling himself for too long and he couldn’t hold it in anymore.

But even if Xian Sheng couldn’t please him, he shouldn’t go find someone else now, should he? He would rather starve for how picky he was. Now that he had gotten what he wanted, why would he resort back to eating the ordinary dishes?

Jiang Qin was confused, but Zhan Lue stayed silent. He drank two jars of wine before finally letting him go. “Go back and sleep.”

After that, he flew in the air and stepped on the branches of the pine tree, exiting the Jiang Residence swiftly.

Jiang Qin got off the rooftop to see his father sitting in front of the anteroom, asking, “Why aren’t you asleep?”

“He came here to ask you about the matter at the frozen lake. This father is waiting for the Crown Prince’s order.”

“…You’ve mistaken.”

Zhan Lue galloped back to the residence and walked to the bridal room. He stood in front of the furnace for a while to get rid of the cold. After he warmed up, he walked inside to check on Xian Sheng.

His face was a bit red because of how warm the room was and he lied in bed. Zhan Lue gradually kneeled by the bed and brushed his hair to the side before reaching over pecking his lips.

Xian Sheng was in deep sleep and didn’t feel anything at all.

When he wakes up, Zhan Zhen is not in the house. Xiansheng is really tired. He drinks the medicine and goes to sleep again.

At sunrise, someone in the palace asks him to enter the palace. Xiansheng doesn’t want to go, but he can’t resist the order, so he has to ask Ruyi to help clean it up.

Yuehua gave that old eunuch some silver taels and smiled, asking, “May I ask who summoned the Crown Princess?”

The eunuch refused to be bribed. She had no choice but to take back the silver taels and walk over to Xian Sheng. “I don’t think they’re summoning you with good intentions. I’ll have someone send the Crown Prince a message.”

Xian Sheng nodded and got in the horse carriage.

When they arrived and stopped, he peeked out to see that it was grand empress dowager’s palace. He couldn’t help but question this.

“Why hasn’t A-Chun, that stupid girl, bring me my crystal shrimp dumplings yet?” In Zhan Jin’s palace, Zhan Yin was lying on the table and complaining. Then she turned around to face Zhan Jin. There was gauze wrapped around her forehead and her expression was faint. It was no doubt that she was beautiful. Zhan Yin was delighted to see her. “Eat some more later on. I specially learned how to cook it from the cooks of South Liang. It’s to repay you for saving me yesterday.”

“If it weren’t for Empress Xin’s kindness, I would’ve been sentenced to death with my mother concubine. I just did what I was supposed to do.”

“Ah, you always like to bring this up.” Zhan Yin laughed. “We’re only a day apart from each other, and we’re also related by blood. It makes sense that the mother empress saved you too.”

Zhan Jin faintly smiled. Zhan Yin was also used to this, Outside the door, A-Chun carried a tray of crystal shrimp dumplings and brought in some news at the same time, “Crown Prince’s horse carriage just entered the palace. It was strange though. She didn’t go visit the empress, but headed towards the empress dowager’s palace instead.”

Zhan Yin was confused and suddenly realized that something was off. Zhan Jin also remembered something. “Did you personally see Qin Yi break Qing Rong’s hand?”

“Grandmother loves Qing Rong a lot, so she definitely would unleash her fury on sister-in-law.” Zhan Yin was also anxious. “A-Jin, quickly think of a solution.”

At this point, Xian Sheng just walked in. She noticed that besides the empress dowager, there was a woman whose expression was cold as nice. Looking at her accessories, she seemed like an imperial consort. He greeted them when the empress dowager’s expression coldened. She slapped the table and exclaimed, “Get on your knees!”

Xian Sheng calmly kneeled down. “Grandmother, may I ask what crime I’ve committed?”

“You colluded with the Liangs and broke Qing Rong’s hand, as well as hurting the Sixth Prince. You dare to ask me what crimes you’ve committed now? Mama, go and slap her!”

Xian Sheng said, “Even if I really colluded with the Liangs, that is a national matter and should be handled by the Ministry of Justice. Grandmother skipped over emperor father and Ministry of Justice, punishing your granddaughter-in-law in private. Those that knew the situation would’ve thought that you were being considerate of emperor father and trying to be helpful. Those that don’t know would’ve thought you were exceeding your own status and looking down upon the emperor.”

The empress dowager’s expression changed. Imperial Consort Rong also glimpsed over and lifted her brows. She gradually stood up. “The princess of the Liang Country really has a sharp tongue. You seem to be familiar with the laws of the North Jin. Then may I ask you something? If I slap you just because I don’t like you, what should you do? After all, I’m your senior and you’re my junior.”

Xian Sheng faintly smiled. “Imperial Consort, you should think clearly before doing that.”

Imperial Consort Rong smiled and said lazily, “I can’t think clearly. Princess, why don’t you analyze this for me?”

“I am the princess of the Liang Country, and I am essential to the peace within the two countries. Imperial Consort, if you slap me, that means you’re deliberating starting a war between the two countries.”

“Oh?” Imperial Consort Rong said, “You mean… the small country that Zhan Lue had consecutively conquered twenty cities from?”

Xian Sheng’s expression didn’t change. “Not just that. I’m also the Crown Princess and the empress’ daughter-in-law. If you have a reason as to why you’re slapping me, you can get away with this. But this is our first time meeting and we had no former enmity. You’re clearly going against the empress like this. This seems reasonable.”

Imperial Consort Rong’s eyes coldened. “You think I’m scared of her?”

“You can try.”

Imperial Consort Rong sneered and suddenly lifted her hand. Ruyi hurried over and hugged Xian Sheng, taking the slap. “Imperial Consort, please calm down. Princess has a delicate body. If you’re angry, hit this palace maid instead.”

Xian Sheng glanced at her and Ruyi gave her a look to endure this.

Imperial Consort Rong tched. “What a loyal palace maid. A pity that from your master’s perspective, she thinks that you’re just making it seem like she is admitting defeat.”

Xian Sheng pursed his lips and heard her continue, “Since this is the case, I’ll slap you to teach your master a lesson.”

“Maids!”

“Your Majesty has arrived—!”

Zhan Yin walked in with large strides with Empress Xin. Imperial Consort Rong gradually withdrew her hand and subconsciously revealed a smile. “Sister, you’re here.”

Xin Meichen’s gaze met hers and then she looked down at Xian Sheng. “A-Yin, help your sister-in-law up.”

Zhan Yin walked over. In the next second, a loud slap rang and her heart trembled.

Xian Sheng looked up to hear Xin Meichen’s icy voice, “My son finally got a wife, and she’s so delicate and weak that no one can touch her. Yet, you dare to hurt her?! You deserve to be punished!”

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